My husband and I bought our first house this past spring, and since we, you know, wiped out our life savings to do so, we only had a limited amount of funds available to furnish and decorate it. Normally I would say going cheap is not the answer when furnishing your home, but as you might come to expect if you’re coming here to read, there are certain things that lend themselves well to thrift store shopping, and small décor is one of them. Hell, even furniture can be found at thrift stores if you have the eye and the wherewithal to fix it up (enter Mary Ann, the world’s most helpful mother in law) – but that’s a future post.

Here are a few things to look out for when putting the finishing touches on decorating your home with thrift store finds:

Imagine how thrilled I was when I found this amazing 1970s polka dotted dress for $4, and how even more thrilled I was to be able to wear it to my friend's wedding at a tiny horse farm in Kentucky. The dress was screaming to be worn at a tiny horse farm! So who was I to deny it that right?

Some quick shots from a couple months ago when we went down to the family cabin. Psychedelic mushroom (shirt) entirely appropriate for the occasion, clearly. I look very mountain-y. And you can too! Many of these items for sale in the Etsy shop, not so much the Jeep though.

I call this one the "French Toddler," for obvious reasons. What on Earth possesses a 30-something year-old to wear overalls? Besides the obvious reason of liking to be as difficult/annoying as possible to use the restroom? Fashion and comfort, which rarely intersect. So when they do, you pounce on it. After this shot was taken, I believe I ate my bodyweight in eggs and bacon. Yet I was still comfortable afterward. You see?

"Borrowed from the boys" is a statement that could define the majority of my wardrobe. If Diane Keaton is okay with that, then I am okay with that. Of course, that statement should probably be amended to say, "borrowed from the boys if the boys were oddly angular, moody little girls." Yes, that fits my wardrobe description exactly!

Menswear and menswear-inspired pieces are excellent additions to your wardrobe, and the best way to do so is not J. Crew, but Goodwill. Here are a few pointers for you when filling in your wardrobe with thrifted menswear-inspired pieces.